I've used both and I think each has its own merits. When belaying the second in autoblock mode, you can clip a Petzl Spirit biner through the hole on the bottom of the Reverso if you need to and use that to lower out/give slack. The hole is there on the BD, but you have to tie cord to it to get a biner through.

It is hard to belay up two seconds using fat ropes with the Reverso. I've heard it's easier with the BD but haven't used it for that purpose so I don't know.

The nose of a hotwire works well in there too.

I had to bring seconds up at the same time with two 10.2's with my Reverso 3. It was a workout.

you mean the device that's a cheap ripoff of the old petzl reverso- the one that tends to turn into a knife over time? there's a reason petzl changed the design- even if they wont actually say that in press releases.

So you're saying that you should be using it on the low friction side and your wife should use it on the high friction side?

My wife has her own belay device.

granite_grrl wrote:

Too much friction in auto-block mode? The whole point is that the rope won't move....it's blocked.

Perhaps just give the Guide to your wife and learn to use a munter.

Do you know how these devices work? Or perhaps you donít understand what I mean; Iím not talking about lowering in autoblock mode Iím talking about pulling slack. Iíve used an autoblock for years, I just donít care for the way these devices work. Iím sure some people find it useful I personally donít like it.

I canít buy Kong, I donít have a rational reason for it I just canít. Is the B52 and autoblock? I didnít know that. Madrock has the same downfall the old reverso had. And I donít care for the Toucan either. A friend of mine has one and Iíve used it once, I just didnít like it. I think the ATC guide without teeth is exactly what I want but itís just not made.

Edit: I just read up on the B52 and see how itís an autoblock. I like the ability to lower that petzl and BD have put on their devices and the B52 does not have this.

Edit: I never looked at the Madlock before, is it even an autoblock? It doesnít look like it has an autoblock mode just a bottle opener.

I bought the Reverso3, but i like the ATC guide better. What do you guys think?

The main difference is that the attachment point that you use in 'reverso mode' is angled 90į differently. The way I built anchors and hook it up doesn't work with the BD, but works well with the Petzl. But this might be the other way around for you.

I've used both and I think each has its own merits. When belaying the second in autoblock mode, you can clip a Petzl Spirit biner through the hole on the bottom of the Reverso if you need to and use that to lower out/give slack. The hole is there on the BD, but you have to tie cord to it to get a biner through.

It is hard to belay up two seconds using fat ropes with the Reverso. I've heard it's easier with the BD but haven't used it for that purpose so I don't know.

Not necessarily. Usually you can just use a carabiner, but it has to keylock instead of notched.

you mean the device that's a cheap ripoff of the old petzl reverso- the one that tends to turn into a knife over time? there's a reason petzl changed the design- even if they wont actually say that in press releases.

you mean the device that's a cheap ripoff of the old petzl reverso- the one that tends to turn into a knife over time? there's a reason petzl changed the design- even if they wont actually say that in press releases.

yeah? but it opens beer bottles.

Dude, the newspaper opens beer bottles other bottles open botlles, rocks, knives, lighters and teeth. This has been discussed at length a 100 times do a search you NooB!

So you're saying that you should be using it on the low friction side and your wife should use it on the high friction side?

My wife has her own belay device.

granite_grrl wrote:

Too much friction in auto-block mode? The whole point is that the rope won't move....it's blocked.

Perhaps just give the Guide to your wife and learn to use a munter.

Do you know how these devices work? Or perhaps you donít understand what I mean; Iím not talking about lowering in autoblock mode Iím talking about pulling slack. Iíve used an autoblock for years, I just donít care for the way these devices work. Iím sure some people find it useful I personally donít like it.

I haven't used a reverso, but the BD guide isn't too smooth with the fatter ropes. I was just messing around with it in guide mode using a 10.5 rope. Seems like it would be quite the workout. I threw in another biner just to see if it would be smoother, not too much...

I haven't used a reverso, but the BD guide isn't too smooth with the fatter ropes. I was just messing around with it in guide mode using a 10.5 rope. Seems like it would be quite the workout. I threw in another biner just to see if it would be smoother, not too much...

That's all I was saying.

I don't buy Kong and I don't shop at Kmart. Maybe Kong has improved their products since the last time I looked at their catalog but it always looked like cheap shit to me.

It appears to have the characteristics you are looking for. If you think it looks like cheap shit, then I'll be superlatively curious on what you think make the Black Diamond ATC Guide and the Petzl Reverso 3 any different.

The Kong looks okay, it does somehow look cheap. Biggest thing for me is I am not a big fan of metal on metal. You could use something like a dmm belay master, but the metal there might pop that plastic spacer right out. I would hate to see some of the twist action that thing could do on a gate. May not be a problem, but it does remind me on an eight.

Does the kong have any sort of lowering feature for belaying a second?